In a televised address to the nation on March 1, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev elaborated at great length on the country's economic priorities, promising a solid package of social benefits to a large section of the population and reiterating his ambition to place Kazakhstan among... MORE

The chairman of Russia's state oil company Rosneft, Sergei Bogdanchikov, has completed a round of discussions in Kazakhstan with Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Baktykozha Izmukhambetov, and the KazMunayGaz state oil and gas company management. During the concluding news conference... MORE

More and more active opponents of the current regime in Kazakhstan are dying in mysterious deaths. The latest victim is Altynbek Sarsenbayev, the 43-year-old co-chairman of the Naghyz Ak Zhol (True Bright Path) political party and one of the leaders of the "For a Fair... MORE

Over the last decade Kazakhstan and China have conducted a wide range of talks on the environmental safety of shared rivers and the use of joint water resources. Beijing took every occasion to deny on official levels that China was building dams in the Irtysh... MORE

Kazakhstan is set to boost its military exports markedly during 2006, as it seeks to expand its access to international arms markets and further strengthen its defense industry. This concerted drive towards enhancing Kazakhstan's role as an arms exporter will put a priority on several... MORE

The recent government reshuffle in Astana disappointed analysts who expected major changes. Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov had a rough 2005; he was strongly criticized for the scandalous takeover of PetroKazakhstan by the China National Petroleum Company, the Russian-Ukrainian gas deal's detrimental consequences for the Kazakh... MORE

The inauguration ceremony of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, held in Astana on January 11, witnessed more than the expected national display of Nazarbayev's tight grip on power. According to sources within the Foreign Ministry, it also conveyed the impression that Kazakhstan is now the leader... MORE

The inauguration ceremony in Astana on January 11 for Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev was a widely trumpeted political event conceived to attract international attention and world leaders to Kazakhstan. Yet the propaganda effect of the inauguration ceremony obviously fell far short of the expectations, as... MORE

Kazakhstan continues to strengthen its ties with the NATO Alliance, despite its close relations with Russia and China and the pressures this brings to the Nazarbayev regime. Officials on both sides met recently to conclude an individual partnership action plan (IPAP), which will form the... MORE

Officials in Astana followed the New Year's gas dispute between Moscow and Kyiv with an air of detachment, but the compromise solution reached between Ukraine and Russia runs counter to the economic interests of Kazakhstan. The deal enables Russia to sell its gas for $230... MORE